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What are the pros and cons of partnering with QCash small dollar lending?

Introducing any new technology to a tried-and-true sector is a recipe for radical change. Generally, the change is for the positive, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any drawbacks to innovation. The question is when partnering with financial technology companies, what do you give, and what do you get?

When you’re on the front lines of innovation—the cutting edge, if you will—adaptability is key. At QCash, we understand that strategy, technology, and evolution are primary concerns for staying alive and viable. Imagine our surprise, then, when we heard about the new battlefront technology: the double-edged sword. A blade that drastically increases versatility, but that also cuts both ways. It was a game changer, to be sure; however, it presented ways to hurt us as well, if we weren’t careful.

Fortunately, with respect to financial technology, we’ve had time to understand a little about double-edged swords. We realize that we can’t continue to provide bleeding-edge, innovative technology and services without disrupting elements of standard banking and credit union operations. With that said, let’s take a look at the drawbacks of partnering with an experienced fintech company.

The Cons of Partnering with QCash

Part of the digital transformation package means embracing new technology. Before we talk about how that benefits you, we should consider the full impact that it might have.

Whereas most credit unions may be accustomed to learning new processes and practices every so often, fintech companies focus only on providing value through the specific services that they provide. As a result, they learn to reimagine, fine tune, and change gears quickly. New developments come faster than regulations do. Often, a fintech company will implement new technology or protocols every 45 or 90 days; many credit unions are used to adapting to new things only every six months or so. This can present a significant increase to changes to workload or style for credit unions.

Essentially, the downside to partnering with a fintech like QCash is that we tend to push forward rapidly with innovation, which can require testing, education, and fine-tuning. Consistently reevaluating best practices isn’t easy. The pace can be rather fast.

The Pros of Partnering with QCash

The pros of partnering with a fintech largely speak for themselves. Fintechs provide access to data, services, protection, planning, and more, all that wouldn’t be available or feasible otherwise. With QCash, we offer small dollar loans at reasonable rates to help protect your members from predatory payday lenders who charge exorbitant interest rates. We also do it with a high degree of demonstrable protection and moderate benefit to your credit union.

Beyond that, fintechs like QCash offer something a little less tangible, but no less important. First, we can help you get to market to serve your members faster than you could do yourself. Developing and testing new technology takes time when you have so many other things to consider, so fintechs are able to focus intensely on perfecting the service or product at hand.

Fintechs also ensure that their products and services are highly integrated so that credit unions are able to focus on daily operations rather than worrying too much about the development and integration of new technologies. They package their offerings so that they have a minimal net impact on day-to-day minutiae, but a maximal positive impact on productivity and member services.

Further Reading

If you’d like to read more about credit unions and small-dollar loan programs, follow the links below. Or, if you’re curious about how you can help your credit unions when they need you most, download our Member Crisis Guide.